CHAPTER XIV. 

 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 



By Frank Hall Knowlton. 



HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF WORK OX THE FOSSIL FLORA. 



As nearly as I have been able to determine, the first collection of fossil 

 plants made in the Yellowstone National Park was obtained by members 

 of the United States Geological Survey under Dr. F. V. Hay den, in 1871. 

 They were found in two localities, and were recorded by Prof. Leo Les- 

 quereux, 1 as follows: "Divide between the source of Snake River and the 

 southern shore of Yellowstone Lake," and " Near Yellowstone Lake, among 

 basaltic rocks." It has not been possible to rediscover these localities, and 

 several of the species remain unique. 



In the following year (1872) the Park was again visited by a party 

 under Dr. Hayden. The members of this party investigated the north- 

 eastern portion of the Park and discovered the rich plant deposits on the 

 Yellowstone River, a short distance below the mouth of Elk Creek. The 

 actual collectors were Messrs. A. C. Peale, Joseph Savage, and O. C. Sloane. 

 The plants represented five species, which were determined by Professor 

 Lesquereux.' 2 



The Fossil Forest, that has since become so widely known, was first 

 described by Mr. W. H. Holmes in 1878. 8 He visited and quite thoroughly 

 explored the Fossil Forest and vicinity and made a small collection of 

 plants that were submitted to Professor Lesquereux. Most of these plants 

 were determined to be new to science, but they were neither named nor 



1 Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. and Geo;*. Surv. Terr, for 1871, pp. 295, 299. 



= 0p. cit., Rept. for 1872, p. 403. 



3 Op. cit., Rept. for 1878, Pt. II, pp. 47-50. 



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